The New York Red Bulls (11-5-5, 4-5-2 away) take on the Montreal Impact (7-7-4, 5-3-1 home) for the third time this season but the first at Stade Saputo. Montreal has been bested by the Red Bulls in both of their encounters this season. New York came from behind twice at home to win 5-2 on the back of a Thierry Henry hat trick. In their second meeting, New York went down a man after Victor Palsson made two bad challenges that saw him sent off. Former Red Bull Dane Richards scored the game-winning goal against fellow countrymen Donovan Ricketts.
New York is coming off a massive seven point week at home while seeing two of its players break long slumps to find the back of the net. New York also expects some reinforcements as Jan Gunnar Solli, Heath Pearce, and goalkeeper Ryan Meara all took part in training on Wednesday and Thursday. The three had missed the previous weeks three game home stand while Pearce and Solli both have missed action since New York’s 1-1 tie with Toronto FC back on June 30th. New York also may have a surprise on the bench against the Impact on Saturday. No it’s not their newly signed third designated player Tim Cahill, but Finnish International Teemu Tainio who has been out the majority of the season with a knee injury. Tainio has recently started working his way back into the teams training sessions and his selection will depend on how he reacts to training once again. Hans Backe warns that Tainio could pick up some injuries here or there being that he has been away from the training field so long, a la Wilman Conde earlier this season. Either way, Tainio’s presence would bring a smile to many Red Bull supporters who thought Tainio’s injury was career threatening. Rafa Marquez and Brandon Barklage are both ruled out but Barklage is expected back for the away match against the Houston Dynamo on August 3rd.
How New York lines up tactically for this game and down the stretch, is a mystery that can only be solved by head coach Hans Backe. With the addition of Le Toux and Cooper and Henry finding form, do you sit on of these players? Well accorindg to Backe, NY will line up in a 4-3-3 but throughout their games will transition from a 4-3-3 to a 4-5-1, a 4-4-2, and a 2-4-4. In other words, Backe expects his players to do work on both ends of the ball. He said the team will defend in a 4-5-1 and 4-4-2 while he, frankly, said they go all out in attack to a 2-4-4. New York most recently implemented a 2-4-4 against DC, Chicago, and Philly, when NY applied pressure high up the field. However, New York’s high pressure really only comes when at home. This will be New York’s first road game on the road without Richards and with Le Toux and there are still some growing pains to get used to. Montreal is not the same team since New York last faced them back in mid May. Montreal has added Alessandro Nesta to their ailing backline and midfielder Patrice Bernier leads the team with six goals and five assists. If Jonathan Borrajo gets the starting nod for New York, Montreal could like up either Sana Nyassi or Andrew Wenger as both posses speed and can overtake a player one-on-one, which Borrajo struggled with in his MLS debut against Philly.
New York can remain top of the east with another win at Stade Saputo. However, with Montreal’s Nesta making his MLS debut, Montreal is automatically a better team on defense. Though they have already surrendered 42 goals in 23 games, Nesta will bring a calming presence to their backline. The biggest thing for New York outside of three points: escape without an injury.
(image courtesy of newyorkredbulls.com)
